# RUM



## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

I'm a new to rum. a wiskey man by heart and wanna lean some stuff about rum cough cough Tim here u go


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

Smart Ass.... Rum is GOOD... Whiskey is BAD...  I'll do a decent post when I get the chance, but I am at work now and dont have the time.


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## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

I've tried to convert, but... I too am a RUM guy! :dance:


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

fuente~fuente said:


> I've tried to convert, but... I too am a RUM guy! :dance:


:drinking:


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

Y yes, yes I'm, I'm good at wat I do.


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

I'm thinking about picking up a good bottle after I goo to b&m so som suggestions pls and yes rum is good


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

Either of the Ron Zacapa rums you can find are good sipping rums(RZ 23 is ~$50 / RZ XO is ~$100). For a cheaper spiced rum I go for Bacardi Oak Heart ($16) , but Capt. Morgan Private Stock ($25) is good too. I hear Bacardi 8 and Pussers are good, but I havent tried those yet.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Private Stock is good for the price. Sailor Jerry's not bad either. Pussers aint bad but its better with coke IMO unless you get the higher end stuff. Bacardi Anejo is kind of on that same level. The Kraken is worth trying as is Cockspur Fine Rum. Ive personally enjoyed everything Ive tried from Ron Centenario. Ive heard that real Havana Club from Cuba is delicious but have never tried it.


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## orion1 (Sep 18, 2012)

Zacapa, Zaya, Diplomatico, Pyrat.


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## crgcpro (Jul 1, 2012)

Havana Club, Veradero if you can get them

Diplomatico, Zacapa, Kraken if you can't get the ISOM's.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

I decided to pick up a bottle of goslings black seal on the way home tonight. I just poured a glass and it has a hell of a dark and ominous look to it (who knew the bottle is actually clear!) I am still trying to place the flavors, but it is definitely a complex palate, and the nose is sweet and rich.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

This is a nice way to end the day.









Is the attachment showing for you????


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

I'm a noob to Rum (I'm more of a cognac kind of guy), but I would like to try a good spicy, yet sweet rum. I've heard of all the ones you guys have mentioned, but what should I start out with? Also keep in mind I want to try it this weekend, so no brands that might require shipping. Thanks :ask:


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

Regiampiero said:


> I'm a noob to Rum (I'm more of a cognac kind of guy), but I would like to try a good spicy, yet sweet rum. I've heard of all the ones you guys have mentioned, but what should I start out with? Also keep in mind I want to try it this weekend, so no brands that might require shipping. Thanks :ask:


I see Zacapa 23, Bacardi 8 and Bacardi Anejo almost everywhere I stop around here. You should be able to find most of the ones mentioned so far at almost any decent liquor store. The Havana Club.... I really doubt you will find that anywhere you will visit this weekend.


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

edwardsdigital said:


> I see Zacapa 23, Bacardi 8 and Bacardi Anejo almost everywhere I stop around here. You should be able to find most of the ones mentioned so far at almost any decent liquor store. The Havana Club.... I really doubt you will find that anywhere you will visit this weekend.


OK. Which one do you think would pair best with a La Gloria Series R #5 ? As I've said, I'm going in totally blind here.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

I cant really help on that one because I haven't had ANY of the La Gloria's. The Zacapa is a fairly delicate palate, so if you are just sipping it straight with a cigar I dont think it will over power the smoke. This Goslings I'm sipping on the other hand is HEAVY on the flavor (quite a bit of molasses comes through).


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

edwardsdigital said:


> I haven't had ANY of the La Gloria's.


Forget the rum, we need to fix this first. Some one hook this man up with a series R! Its the best non-cuban stick La Gloria makes IMO. I always have a box of #5 and #6 laying around. If you're a fan of full body cigars try one, you won't regret it.

Now back to rum. I'll probably go for the Goslings given that a sweet liquor always goes really well with a full strength cigar.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

It was fairly good, I need to sit down and really taste it on the next glass to see what I can pull out of it. I paid $22 for the 750ml bottle, so its not too bad on the price either. The capt. Morgan Private Stock is pretty good at around the same price point.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Goslings and ginger ale... Dark and stormy. Haven't had one if those in a while. Goslings IMO is a very sweet rum. If your looking for something spicier look for a spiced rum. Maybe something like Flor De Caña Gold. It's a Nicaraguan rum that's pretty tasty and won't break the bank either.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

HIM said:


> Goslings and ginger ale... Dark and stormy. Haven't had one if those in a while. Goslings IMO is a very sweet rum. If your looking for something spicier look for a spiced rum. Maybe something like Flor De Caña Gold. It's a Nicaraguan rum that's pretty tasty and won't break the bank either.


I picked up a bottle of goslings ginger beer with the rum  Had a dark and stormy just now with an RP Decade.... very nice pair I must say.


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## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Well played sir!!


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

Iv got a bottal of pyrat any opinions on that. 
glade to see everyone enjoying this thread


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

@Jasonx250z Its a thread about RUM... Whats not to enjoy ????


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## Blue Raccoon (Mar 13, 2011)

edwardsdigital said:


> *I picked up a bottle of goslings ginger beer with the rum * Had a dark and stormy just now with an RP Decade.... very nice pair I must say.


flying down to FL tomorrow now I know what I'll be stopping for. my wife and daughter drove down a couple of weeks ago and they stopped into JR's and picked up a box of the series R's for me.

has anyone tried any of the Dogfish Head rums?


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

So I was going to buy that bottle of Zacappa or Goslings over the weekend to bring over my cousin's house, but he told me that he wanted to open a bottle he got in the Caribbean so I didn't. I don't know if the rum he put out is considered good stuff or not, but I liked it a lot. Its called Rum Jumbie and it comes in a weird looking bottle (see picture). It was very sweet, but with a good a mount of spice. I think it would go great with a full body cigar that is heavy on the pepper. I was just curious to see if any of you have ever drink this stuff and what you thought of it.


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

Regiampiero said:


> So I was going to buy that bottle of Zacappa or Goslings over the weekend to bring over my cousin's house, but he told me that he wanted to open a bottle he got in the Caribbean so I didn't. I don't know if the rum he put out is considered good stuff or not, but I liked it a lot. Its called Rum Jumbie and it comes in a weird looking bottle (see picture). It was very sweet, but with a good a mount of spice. I think it would go great with a full body cigar that is heavy on the pepper. I was just curious to see if any of you have ever drink this stuff and what you thought of it.
> 
> View attachment 44151


. It is actually is a Liqueur it come in many different flavors. hum interesting its has won several awards for best rum Liqueur. it distilled from molasses seem to me that would be since it won awards from 2009 and 2007 so don't believe it to be bad but really its up to to individual person should say if its bad or good. if u like it u like it ur, ur own judge. Also if u are looking for more u can find it in the u.s.a too I can pm some places to order hope this helps


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

Hurm I got an itchy trigger finger I found heard about about this stuff Don Q Grand Anejo


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## crgcpro (Jul 1, 2012)

I just got my bottles of Veradero 7 year and Legendario 7 year old in the mail today from Johnny O. I'll be cracking one of them open tomorrow night.


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

crgcpro said:


> I just got my bottles of Veradero 7 year and Legendario 7 year old in the mail today from Johnny O. I'll be cracking one of them open tomorrow night.


Got to fill me in on how u find it. I'm on the hunt for good rums Tim got me started with Rum lol, there like fine scotch. I find them to be smoother on palate when having a full bodied cigar. Instead of palate numb from high proof wiskies.


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## crgcpro (Jul 1, 2012)

You can get them from Johnny O. He posts lists at Onlinehumidor - home and All Classifieds - Classifieds - GarTrader.

He also sells custom rolls that are very good. I got a bundle of Flying Pigs from him with the rum today.

Pro


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

Hmm ill have to check that out


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## mihc45 (May 8, 2012)

Blue Raccoon said:


> flying down to FL tomorrow now I know what I'll be stopping for. my wife and daughter drove down a couple of weeks ago and they stopped into JR's and picked up a box of the series R's for me.
> 
> has anyone tried any of the Dogfish Head rums?


Ive had 2 of the dogfish rums, the wit spiced, and the brown honey. Im not a huge rum drinker but I find both of these especially the brown honey to be very drinkable. Plus there less the $30 here so they are very reasonable priced. I actually just picked up 2 bottles of the brown honey because its the hardest to find of the 3


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

Finally got around buying the Ron Zacapa 23, but at $47.00 a bottle it better be good. If it is, its going to be an online purchase item from now on. 

I was going to post a picture, but it keeps telling me that its over the limit in size even tough I've posted larger pictures before. Hum...anybody?


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

Regiampiero said:


> Finally got around buying the Ron Zacapa 23, but at $47.00 a bottle it better be good. If it is, its going to be an online purchase item from now on.
> 
> I was going to post a picture, but it keeps telling me that its over the limit in size even tough I've posted larger pictures before. Hum...anybody?


How was the Zacapa Giampiero (from now on you will be known only as G to me!!)? I have had issues from time to time with uploading pics, but I dont know why.

I finished off my bottle of Goslings black seal last week. I liked the goslings, but I had to use it as a mixer. I drank mostly dark and stormys (2oz Black Seal / 5oz ginger beer over ice) and a couple Rum & Dr. Peppers. I found I didnt really care for the taste neat or on the rocks.

I picked up a bottle of Bacardi Oakheart today ($16) and enjoyed a glass on the rocks with my PDR Oscuro. I really like the Oakheart both as a mixer and a sipper, and for $16 / 750ml its MUCH cheaper than Zacapa (but NOT in the same class). I think Bacardi did a pretty damn good job going after Capt. Morgan in the spiced rum segment with this one. I wont buy the Capt. regular any more if I can get this instead (I dont like to sip Capt.)


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## OratorORourke (May 9, 2013)

I am an odd case as I enjoy a dark rum quite a bit, but also enjoy really good bourbons (Woodford Reserve is my poison). It seems that most are either or. 

My everyday rum is Sailor Jerry. I drink a lot of it. I love the prominent vanilla smell and taste in it and I definitely can't complain about the proof. I do NOT mix SJ. If it is hot out and it is day time and I don't have my next mentioned rum on hand, you may catch me making a Dark & Stormy with it. 

For mixing, I have been enjoying making Dark & Stormy's out of The Kraken. I find this rum to be very good for that. 

For an everyday dark rum, I like Mount Gay. I think it is based on a trip I took to Barbados in 2009 in which I partook heavily in this brands rum, including my time on the factory tour. For me, it mixes very well. 

High end, premium sipping rum preference, as everyone else has mentioned here...Zacapa of course.


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## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

For those of you who have had both... is there a distinct difference between Zaya and Zacapa? I've had Zaya before and I found it to be great. It was very smooth and very delicious. At $10 more per bottle, would the Zacapa be that much better?


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## Regiampiero (Jan 18, 2013)

edwardsdigital said:


> How was the Zacapa Giampiero (from now on you will be known only as G to me!!)? I have had issues from time to time with uploading pics, but I dont know why.
> 
> I finished off my bottle of Goslings black seal last week. I liked the goslings, but I had to use it as a mixer. I drank mostly dark and stormys (2oz Black Seal / 5oz ginger beer over ice) and a couple Rum & Dr. Peppers. I found I didnt really care for the taste neat or on the rocks.
> 
> I picked up a bottle of Bacardi Oakheart today ($16) and enjoyed a glass on the rocks with my PDR Oscuro. I really like the Oakheart both as a mixer and a sipper, and for $16 / 750ml its MUCH cheaper than Zacapa (but NOT in the same class). I think Bacardi did a pretty damn good job going after Capt. Morgan in the spiced rum segment with this one. I wont buy the Capt. regular any more if I can get this instead (I dont like to sip Capt.)


Well Tim...I liked the Zacapa more than the average rum, but the taste was very reminiscent of a bourbon IMO. It was very heavy on the spirit and less so on the spices and sweetness. I paired it with a cognac infused cigar first, and the day after with a Cohiba Siglo VI. It paired better with the siglo than it did with the cognac infused cigar, but I'll try the last third of the bottle with some more cigars. Next buy is going to be the Goslings or the Kraken, but I'll keep the Oak Heart in mind.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

I had a hell of a rum fueled weekend! I hope everyone else had fun too. I managed to go through 6 gars, a 750ml of oakheart, and 3/4 of a bottle of Zacapa 23 over the course of saturday and sunday with a few friends.


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## orion1 (Sep 18, 2012)

ezlevor said:


> For those of you who have had both... is there a distinct difference between Zaya and Zacapa? I've had Zaya before and I found it to be great. It was very smooth and very delicious. At $10 more per bottle, would the Zacapa be that much better?


I have tried both multiple times and IMHO Zacapas is much better. Whether or not 10 bucks better, only you can tell.


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## Jasonx250z (Apr 11, 2013)

Zacapa ox or 23 I found them for a 20 dollars difference


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## Tobias Lutz (Feb 18, 2013)

I'm a huge Sailor Jerry fan. I also enjoy Captain Morgan Tattoo, but the best rum I've ever had was some I bought at the duty-free shop in Port au Prince. Haitian rum rocks!


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## lbiislander (Oct 15, 2010)

I hope it's not too late to jump on this thread. Like many, absolute fav is Zacapa. But I recently tasted a new rum called Kirk & Sweeney, aged 12 years, i think from the DR. Liked it a lot and under $30.


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## Big Bull (Mar 22, 2011)

I will start this off by saying I am the most diehard rum drinker I know. 20 years of rum 'n cokes, rum on the rocks.......it has been a fun adventure. Zacapa is definitely one of the finest rums. Zaya is my favorite go to rum. At. $29.99 a bottle it has got to be the best value per ounce. But if money was no option every body should have bottles of Zacapa 23 Zaya, Ron Botran, Plantation 20yr, Angostura 12 yr, Brugal L.E., Capt. Morgan Private stock, Appleton Est. 21yr, Zafra and sooo many other.

But to start off I would go in this order.

1. Capt. Morgan Private stock
2. Ron Botran
3. Zaya
4. Zacapa

I think the last 2 you should be alternating nights to see which you fall in love with first.

But to sample out I would definitely start out with Zaya


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

edwardsdigital said:


> I finished off my bottle of Goslings black seal last week. I liked the goslings, but I had to use it as a mixer. ... I found I didnt really care for the taste neat or on the rocks.


I don't care for it neat, or on the rocks (plural), either. But over just a single ice cube and allowed to sit for a couple of minutes, it's one of my favorite sipping drinks.


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## Milhouse (Oct 22, 2011)

im not a big rum guy. i like brugal extra viejo.

i recently had a swig of that black seal but it was at 8:00am on a fishing trip. I would like to revisit.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

Milhouse said:


> im not a big rum guy. i like brugal extra viejo.
> 
> i recently had a swig of that black seal but it was at 8:00am on a fishing trip. I would like to revisit.


Nothing better than getting started early while on a fishing trip!!


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## Simon.G (Jan 10, 2013)

Ron Zacapa is a Beautiful sipping Rum...
Sailor Jerry is my other favourite mixed...


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## Tommystephen01 (Jul 19, 2013)

According to my knowledge all of wine like wisckey,Rum, and champion wines the RUM is the best forever!


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## Horsefeathers (Jul 26, 2013)

A user (Kenning) posted a terrific write up on RUM from another forum I visit (Something Awful). I don't want to take credit for someone else's hard work, so just to be clear this *NOT* written by me. I'm just passing along the info since I came across this thread, and he did such a great write up.

_"There's naught, no doubt, so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion."_ - Lord Byron

_"The chief fudling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Devil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish and terrible liquor."_ - John Lingon, an English settler in Barbados

*Rum*
Sweet nectar of the cane. Rum is the world's most varied spirit, and perhaps the world's most poorly-understood. All spirits have some sort of customary and legal requirements, which are more or less stringent. Bourbon, on the one hand, is definitely more. Gin is less. Rum is much, much less. To be labeled "rum" - in the United States at least - all that is required is that the spirit be derived from the sugarcane, a tall, fibrous species of grass originally from South and Southeast Asia. The sweet juice is pressed from the cane, and then either fermented directly or processed to produce molasses, which is then itself fermented. The production of molasses also yields an unimportant byproduct. After the appropriate fermentation, this sweet, beerish liquid is distilled, filtered, possibly aged in wood, and then bottled for sale.

The entire process is up to the discretion of the distiller, from the base material (French-speaking islands and Brazil like the juice, most everyone else does molasses), the fermenting agent (Cuban-style rums tend to use faster-acting, cleaner-tasting yeast, while Jamaicans employ a sort of sour mash process, using the old, slow-acting yeast from the last batch to get those rich funky flavors - in Indonesia they start fermenting their batavia arrack with some old rice cakes), to the sort of still (both pot stills and patent stills are used), to the distillation proof, to the length of aging and the sort of barrels, to the bottling proof. All of these variables and more combine to produce an almost infinite variety in rum styles and flavor profiles, to the point that it's essentially impossible to say what rum tastes like (besides delicious).

So how do you know what to drink? There's no one satisfactory system. I used to think of rum in terms of dark, gold, and light, which is actually a hilariously incomplete and misleading organizational system. You also need to know whether it is cane juice or molasses rum (also known as rhum agricole and rhum industriel respectively). The sort of still is significant, since a pot still will retain more of the flavor of the base ingredients than will a patent/column/Coffey still. And of course age is important, since it has an impact on the mellowness and roundness of a spirit.

Rums will usually list some, but rarely all, of this information on their label. There is one crucial piece of information which is pretty much always readily available though: the region in which the rum is produced. While regional styles aren't quite as well-defined as they were, say, 70 years ago (a global market has somewhat flattened and homogenized rum production, especially high-volume rums), they're still the best key to having a reasonable estimate of what you'll be drinking. The broadest-possible division is one of language.

*Spanish*-speaking regions generally use molasses and tend to use patent stills and short fermentation times for a clean, crisp flavor. Light rums from these regions tend to be floral and a bit sweet, with some being almost flavorless. Gold rums get a fair amount of flavor from the barrels - which tend to be used bourbon barrels, like the rest of the spirits industry uses - including oak, char, vanilla, and some spiciness. The older, darker rums get mellow and smooth, with some rich, velvety vanilla and brown sugar notes.

*English*-speaking regions use molasses, have a more lengthy fermentation, and are more likely to use pot stills (although a good number do use patent stills). The rums tend to be darker, and range in flavor from toasted coconut and caramelized pears (more of a Barbados style or Trinidadian style) to thick, molassesy, and sulfuric, sometimes with a gunpowdery flavor (Jamaica and Guyana). The clear rums will have that funk about them, with some sweetness, but less brown sugar.

*French*-speaking regions tend to use pure cane juice, rather than molasses. They may use column or pot stills, and are frequently aged in oak. The whole cane juice gives these rums more of a grassy or fresh-wood flavor than is found in other styles, and they sometimes have a twang that is reminiscent of agave. Older rums have a bit more sweetness, along with toffee and caramel notes, as well as some darker leather and tobacco character.

Estate rums are bottled by their distiller. Some independent bottlings are region-specific (the Plantation series has a number of regional rums), while others are blends (Denizen is Jamaica and Trinidad - and spectacular - while Banks 5 Island is Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana, and Java). Still, the blends tend to list the origins of their rums on the bottle, since it's such important information for the consumer.

Of course, there's a good deal of variation within this. Barbados rums and Jamaican rums taste totally different, even though they're both English-speaking regions. However, this should get you in the ballpark when approaching a new rum, and luckily, rum tends to be significantly less expensive than most other spirits (though some agricultural rums can get damn pricy).

"So I've found some rums to try - what's the best way to drink them?"

Like any premium spirit, fine aged rums can be enjoyed neat to great effect. While some of these fine spirits start at $40/fifth+, there are also some truly excellent sippers available for as little as $12, though sometimes you have to get lucky. These can be enjoyed as is, or with a bit of ice or water to your taste. One thing to remember with rums is that they age faster than almost any other spirit - tropical temperatures can do to a rum in 2 or 3 years what would take 6 years for bourbon or 10 years for Scotch. Of course, some rums (particularly 3rd-party bottlings) are aged in Europe or America, but generally even lightly aged rums are quite mellow.

There are also a number of simple cocktails that show off a new rum to great effect. Aged rums respond well to the Old Fashioned treatment - rum, sugar (I like a rich turbinado syrup), and bitters are particularly good at showing off the nicer qualities of the more aggressive Jamaican, Guyanese, and Martinique rums. The Daiquiri is probably the most famous rum drink - lime, sugar, and ice do something amazing with literally every rum I've tried. A nice long drink is variously called a Caribeño or a rum coco or just rum and coconut water - somewhere along 3 parts coconut water (no added sugar) to 1 part rum, a dash of lime if you like, and ice. Of course if you've got cachaça you should treat yourself to a caipirinha and if you've got a nice Martinique, a Ti Punch is always welcome. You can also explore elaborate Tiki drinks, but that's another thread.

So where to go from here? Normally I'd recommend searching out a good bar, but rum bars tend to be few and far between - in the States at least. If you're lucky enough to live in the San Francisco Bay Area I'd recommend checking out Smuggler's Cove, which probably has the finest rum collection of any bar in the States. If you know of an old Tiki bar in your area have a look - even if their cocktails are syrupy and awful (and sadly many venerable old Tiki palaces are are mere shades of their former selves) their rum selection should still be better than average, and you can begin tasting it yourself. If your bar scene seems bare, at least you can take comfort in the fact that it's easier on your wallet to explore rum than it is to explore Scotch or cognac or even rye. In the next post I'll give some guidance on bottles to start with.

I hope you'll give it a shot. Rum has a bad rap as being cheap, sweet, and wretched, thanks in large part to horrible spiced rums and flavorless Bacardi swill. In truth I suspect there's no spirit as likely to surprise and delight as a fine rum, a liquid envoy from some faraway place, guaranteed to lift your tired spirit, and transport you to a world of flavor and ease. Cheers.

*Building your rum collection*
I think a good rum collection ought to show off the variety available in the world of rum. There's so much out there, it's hard to get by with only one or two. What follows is a good, all-purpose guide to growing your rum cabinet, for people interested in mixing as well as sipping. If you prefer certain flavor styles - spicy, fruity, funky - or know that you'll be sipping, rather than shaking up Hurricanes and Zombies, I can offer other guidance.

*1. Light Cuban-style rum.* I like Flor de Caña Extra Dry (from Nicaragua), but Cruzan (US Virgin Islands) is also a decent choice. Havana Club is great if the US-Cuba embargo doesn't inconvenience you.
Sweet, floral (jasmine), dry finish

*2. Dark Jamaican rum.* I am a big, big proponent of Coruba. I think it's more sophisticated than Meyer's, and more Jamaican-tasting than Appleton Estate (which to me is too Bourbon-y). Plus it's cheap. Still, those are both decent choices if that's all you've got.
Molasses or brown sugar, sulfur, maybe some oak, long twangy finish

*3. Gold Barbados rum.* I love Plantation Barbados, but have enjoyed Mt. Gay Eclipse as well. If you wanna drop some coin on an XO Cognac-like rum, Mt. Gay Extra Old is one of the most well-known premiums.
Some toffee, floral (roses and lilies), roasted stone fruit, coconut, medium sweet finish

*4. Barbancourt 5 Star.* There's a reason this is one of the most well-regarded rums around. Smooth, cognac-like, and refined. Makes an amazing Old Fashioned.
Tiny bit of brown sugar, tobacco, leather, wet earth, and wood shavings. Long dry finish

*5. Demerara rum.* El Dorado 5-year is a great choice that's become pretty available Stateside lately. I haven't had the Lemon Hart 80, which I suspect is somewhat different. Tasting notes are for the El Dorado. It's a bit sweet on its own, but makes a memorable Daiquiri.
Toffee. Caramel. Burnt sugar. Brittle. Brown butter. Dark confections. Really sweet, but not (quite) syrupy

*6. Smith and Cross.* This is a rum that has to be tasted to be believed. It's as close as you get to the sort of stuff they were tossing back 200 years ago. Dark, rich, with an insanely long finish and a thick mouthfeel. It makes a better punch than any other spirit I've tried. It's a bit rough on its own (bottled at 115 proof), but in an Old Fashioned it's pretty much unparalleled.
Brown sugar, sulfer, huge twang, thick texture, long sticky mouthfeel

Those 6 will get you started damn well. At its peak my rum collection also included the Flor de Caña 4-year gold (spicy, caramel, vanilla, long oaky finish), J. Wray and Nephew Overproof Jamaican (buttery nose, heavy twang, sweet finish), Batavia Arrack van Oosten (mossy, wet stone, jungle undergrowth), and Lemon Hart Demerara 151 (thick brown sugar, gunpowder, sulfur, hot hot finish) - the best 151 there is. I've been hankering after a nice aged Martinique rum for a while, but those are a bit pricey, so that Rhum JM VSOP will have to wait a bit more.

There are also some more sipping-oriented rums out there to try. In addition to Mt. Gay Extra Old, which I've already mentioned, there's Ron Zacapa 23 (the winningest rum at international tastings), Zaya 12 (and 18), and Angostura 1919. These are all velvety and lovely, and will impress pretty much anyone who tries.


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## phinz (Jan 5, 2010)

Blue Raccoon said:


> has anyone tried any of the Dogfish Head rums?


Don't know about the DFH rums, but the Rogue rums are horrid.

If you can find it, a surprisingly good rum for a low price is Siesta Key's silver. If you like a nice spiced rum, try One Barrel out of Belize. It's cheap and delicious.

Any of the Eldorado rums older than 3 years are great. In fact, any of the Demerara rums out of Guyana are typically pretty fine drams. If you can get it, Lemon Hart 80 is incredible. It's not available in the States, but those who visit Canada can get it easily.

The best overproof rum in the world, for me, is LemonHart 151. It's a Demerara rum and is the key ingredient in many traditional tiki drinks. Tiki drinks that require it don't taste the same without it.

I've a metric crap ton of rums in my bar. Some really good, others not so much. Last count had something like 120 rums in my bar, if you include the cruddy flavored ones people have brought over and left.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

phinz said:


> if you include the cruddy flavored ones people have brought over and left.


I may end up with a few of those cruddy flavored ones here soon..... I am going to try my hand at infusion. I am planning to start with a few simple one flavor infusions this weekend (habanero, cinnamon, and mint first) then move on to a full on spiced rum recipe. I just picked up 2 750ml bottles of Bacardi gold for the base, and will probably start with half bottle batches at first. I really want to get the perfect mint rum down for a good mojito for a get together later next week (mint takes 3-5 days to steep).

I hope I dont end up with undrinkable embalming fluid when I am done, but I am sure I will screw up at least one of the first batches!


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## JGIORD (Jan 1, 2000)

I find the spiced rums to be a bit too overly and artificially sweet. Everyone's tastes are different but I like:

1. Pyratt
2. Bacardi Reserve 8
3. Zaya
4. Zacapa

I've tried the Gosling's Black Seal as well. Very interesting stuff, but not something I would drink on a regular basis. Definitely something everyone should try though.


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## FireRunner (Jul 19, 2012)

JGIORD said:


> I find the spiced rums to be a bit too overly and artificially sweet. Everyone's tastes are different but I like:
> 
> *1. Pyratt*
> 2. Bacardi Reserve 8
> ...


100% agree with your response about most rums tasting too sweet. I cannot stand rum that tastes like I'm drinking pure sugar water. Pyratt is the only rum I drink (straight). I haven't found another rum close to it.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

After a few hours getting lost on the interwebz reading about infusion, I am going to start with the 3 pretty peppers I have before me (1 scorpion, 1 scotch bonnet, and 1 pumpkin hab - thanks to one of the guys at work!) I should get heat in the rum in a few hours, with hell in a bottle by monday night.... oh and I will pick up some mint tomorrow to get that started (kinda psyched on the scorpion infused rum personally - Golden Scorpion sounds like a good name)


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## cubanrob19 (Jun 15, 2010)

Rum is my go to drink with a smoke ... Ive never gone all out and spent $80+ on a bottle ... yet ... but I like the selections I cycle through which are:

Bacardi 8, 
Flor De Cana 12 
&
Ron Zacapa 23


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## JGIORD (Jan 1, 2000)

FireRunner said:


> 100% agree with your response about most rums tasting too sweet. I cannot stand rum that tastes like I'm drinking pure sugar water. Pyratt is the only rum I drink (straight). I haven't found another rum close to it.


Firerunner, give the Bacardi 8 a try. It is less sweet with a bit more of an alcohol kick. Has some great aromas with some citrus notes. Pyrat is sweeter than the Bacardi, but it is also smoother.


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## FireRunner (Jul 19, 2012)

JGIORD said:


> Firerunner, give the Bacardi 8 a try. It is less sweet with a bit more of an alcohol kick. Has some great aromas with some citrus notes. Pyrat is sweeter than the Bacardi, but it is also smoother.


Will give it a try. I frequent a local bar and normally I only drink Pyrat. Off and on they'll run out and I'll try a few other rums but they are always too sweet for me. I end up adding so much ice just to ease the sweetness.


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## Favvers (Jan 30, 2013)

I'm a big fan of Varadero 8. A bit of age really makes the difference. As far as spiced rums go, The Kraken is pretty good. A good mixer is Goslings Black Seal. Good with Coke, great with ginger beer and lime for a classic Bermudian dark and stormy.


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## cubanrob19 (Jun 15, 2010)

has anyone ever tried Vizcaya VXOP 21 yr rum? Its a Cuban formula rum made in the Dominican Republic.

I went to Specs today cause this thread got me in the mood to get a new bottle of rum, and the lady there recommended it, so I figured why not. Its an old style rum, made with hand harvested sugar canes instead of molasses. 
I had a small glass straight today, and it was very good. Strong aroma and full bodied ... it was a bit harsh on the first sip, but after i let it breath a little it smoothed out nicely.


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## Favvers (Jan 30, 2013)

cubanrob19 said:


> has anyone ever tried Vizcaya VXOP 21 yr rum? Its a Cuban formula rum made in the Dominican Republic.
> 
> I went to Specs today cause this thread got me in the mood to get a new bottle of rum, and the lady there recommended it, so I figured why not. Its an old style rum, made with hand harvested sugar canes instead of molasses.
> I had a small glass straight today, and it was very good. Strong aroma and full bodied ... it was a bit harsh on the first sip, but after i let it breath a little it smoothed out nicely.
> ...


That sounds really good. I like rums to have a bit of fire at first before you get the burnt, sweet tastes at the end.


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## Favvers (Jan 30, 2013)

Favvers said:


> I'm a big fan of Varadero 8. A bit of age really makes the difference. As far as spiced rums go, The Kraken is pretty good. A good mixer is Goslings Black Seal. Good with Coke, great with ginger beer and lime for a classic Bermudian dark and stormy.


To clarify, it's actually Varadero 7, not 8. The 15 year old is even better.


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## phinz (Jan 5, 2010)

edwardsdigital said:


> I may end up with a few of those cruddy flavored ones here soon..... I am going to try my hand at infusion. I am planning to start with a few simple one flavor infusions this weekend (habanero, cinnamon, and mint first) then move on to a full on spiced rum recipe.


I have a two-year-old habanero-infused vodka that is pure liquid hell. It's awesome in a Cajun Mary. I used three habaneros with the caps cut off but seeds left intact. 375ml of vodka in a Mason jar then drop the habaneros in. They're white now instead of orange. I could probably strip paint with the stuff.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

I only let my rum steep for an hour before I checked in on it..... 1/2 of a 375 ml bottle bacardi gold @ room temp + 1 x 1.5 inch trinidad scorpion fresh frozen for 3 days and brought to room temp (used whole pod cut in half with seeds)....


I HAD to remove the pepper from the bottle. I couldn't believe the burn it produced instantly! The heat hit the back of my throat and gave a searing heat for about 1 minute before dropping out just as fast. the heat on the tongue and lips lingered for a good 10 min, and had a wonderful pepper finish. Overall the experiment was a success, but I think I made pepper spray in stead of a cocktail mixer though. I am going to need a much larger volume of rum for the scorpions due to the heat if I am going to let them steep for a full day or more.

I cant wait to check the mint in a few days.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

I only let my rum steep for an hour before I checked in on it..... 1/2 of a 375 ml bottle bacardi gold @ room temp + 1 x 1.5 inch trinidad scorpion fresh frozen for 3 days and brought to room temp (used whole pod cut in half with seeds)....


I HAD to remove the pepper from the bottle. I couldn't believe the burn it produced instantly! The heat hit the back of my throat and gave a searing heat for about 1 minute before dropping out just as fast. the heat on the tongue and lips lingered for a good 10 min, and had a wonderful pepper finish. Overall the experiment was a success, but I think I made pepper spray in stead of a cocktail mixer though. I am going to need a much larger volume of rum for the scorpions due to the heat if I am going to let them steep for a full day or more.

I cant wait to check the mint in a few days.


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## lbiislander (Oct 15, 2010)

While up in New Hampshire over the weekend, I picked up a bottle of Ron Pampero Aniversario from Venezuela. I haven't seen this stuff in NY in a long, long time. For $20, you cannot beat it.


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## LewZephyr (Aug 2, 2013)

I am both a whiskey and rum man.
For rum I am quite fond of: Vizcaya
I prefer the dark, it has a nice caramel flavor. FYI, yes its a dark rum but its not all spiced up. Very smooth.

On a side note, my present favorite whisky is the 1835.


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## tnlawyer (Jul 17, 2013)

This forum is bad for my bank account :lol: I was perfectly content with my Bacardi rum. Now after reading this, I'm going to have to stop by the liquor store on the way home. Bastards.


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## edwardsdigital (Mar 18, 2013)

tnlawyer said:


> This forum is bad for my bank account :lol: I was perfectly content with my Bacardi rum. Now after reading this, I'm going to have to stop by the liquor store on the way home. Bastards.


Just enjoy the good stuff moderately..... I can put a hurtin' on a bottle of Bacardi Oakheart in one night, but I somehow manage to make a bottle of Zacapa last almost 2 months (normally - there was one incident..)


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